A husband and wife from China are accused of operating an interstate sex trafficking and prostitution operation based out of Portland, federal investigators said Thursday.

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Updated: 10:45 PM EST Dec 14, 2018

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WEBVTT DOCUMENTS SHOW THE QUALITY INN IN COLCHESTER WAS JUST ONE SPOT IN VERMONT USED IN THIS RING. FEDERAL AUTHORITES SAY A SHOU CHAO LI AND DERONG MIAO, A CHINESE COUPLE ARE ACCUSED OF OPERATING AN INTERSTATE SEX TRAFFICKING AND PROSITUTION RING ACROSS NEW ENGLAND....INTO VERMONT. ACCORDING TO COURT DOCUMENTS, THE QUALITY INN IN COLCHESTER AND LA QUINTA INN SOUTH BURLINGTON WERE USED AS HOUSES OF PROSITUTION. INVESTIGATORS SAY THESE ACTS AT THE TWO HOTELS TOOK PLACE IN 2016. OFFICALS SAY THE COUPLE ADVERTISED CHINESE FEMALES, WHO SPOKE LITTLE TO NO ENGLISH, ON A WEBSITE CALLED BACKPAGE.COM. FEDERAL DOCUMENTS SHOW A NUMBER OF HOTELS AND HOMES WERE USED IN THE OPERATION. INCLUDING TWO HOMES IN MANCHESTER NEW HAMPSHIRE. OFFICIALS SAY THIS OPERATION WAS RUN OUT OF MAINE, WHERE PEOPLE THERE SAY SOMETHING SEEMED OUT OF PLACE. 03:52 - 04:01 BATES - THIS IS A COMMUNITY AND LET ME BE VERY CLEAR, IT WAS MY NEIGHBOR THAT HAD THE GUTS TO COME OVER HERE TO SAY TO ME I THINK SOMETHING'S WRONG. SHE HAD SEEN A LOT MORE, WE REALLY SEEN A WHOLE LOT GOING ON OVER THERE SINCE THIS HAS HAPPENED, RONNIE BATES SAYS HE'S BEEN MORE ALERT. 05:05 - 05:08 BATES - AND IF I SEE SOMETHING, I'M GONNA SAY SOMETHING NOW THE COUPLE MADE AN INITIAL APPEARANCE IN FEDERAL COURT AND PLEADED NOT GUILTY, BUT ARE SET TO APPEAR FOR DENENTION HEARINGS ON TUESDAY. WE'RE LIVE IN COLCHESTER, ML, NBC5 NEWS.

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2 Vermont hotels used in New England prostitution, sex ring

A husband and wife from China are accused of operating an interstate sex trafficking and prostitution operation based out of Portland, federal investigators said Thursday.

A husband and wife from China are accused of operating an interstate sex trafficking and prostitution operation out of Maine, federal investigators said Thursday.A grand jury indicted Shou Chao Li, 37, and Derong Miao, 37, on sex trafficking and prostitution charges, according to federal court documents.Li and Miao have a residence in Concord, New Hampshire, according to prosecutors.Li used the names "Driver" and "Uncle," while Miao was known as "Amy," "Ronger," "Arong," "Anna," "Lily" and "LiLi," documents said. Investigators said the Chinese women brought to the U.S. as part of the sex ring spoke little to no English and did not have work visas.Authorities said they have evidence the couple used online adult sites to solicit the women before bringing them to the U.S.The couple's operation ran between July 2016 and February 2018, according to prosecutors.Court documents state Li and Miao operated in homes and hotels in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont.Houses of prostitution, as referred to in court documents, included the LaQuinta Inn in South Burlington and the Quality Inn in Colchester.The charges were filed in the District of Maine.They made an initial appearance in federal court and pleaded not guilty.A judge ordered Li and Miao temporarily held by the U.S. Marshals Service.Detention hearings were scheduled for Tuesday.

COLCHESTER, Vt. —

A husband and wife from China are accused of operating an interstate sex trafficking and prostitution operation out of Maine, federal investigators said Thursday.